Worship, My Way
Genesis 4: 1-7
Play YouTube video of My Way by Frank Sinatra. First 45 seconds. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7GHgE8fylQ
Intro: How many of you remember that song? Some of you may know it as a song that Elvis Presley sang and had great success with it. What you just heard was the original. Frank Sinatra co-wrote this song and had a huge hit with it long before Elvis. It kind of became his theme song. The lyrics of this song mirror how Sinatra lived his life. He lived it his way and no one was ever going to tell him what to do. Look at the words to the opening verse again.
. “And now, the end is here And so I face the final curtain/ My friend, I’ll say it clear I’ll state my case, of which I’m certain/ I’ve lived a life that’s full I traveled each and ev’ry highway / And more, much more than this, I did it my way.”
. My way, that is the story of human nature.
. From infancy, I want to do it my way.
. Once a baby gets old enough to hold a spoon and communicate, the child no longer wants you to feed them do they?
. They want to take the spoon and I have heard many say “me”
. They want to do it themselves.
. We don’t get any better when we get older.
. We want to do it our way don’t we?
. The same is true for our worship many times also.
. We want to worship and serve God on our terms, not his.
. This morning we are going to look at the first worship service and see what God has to say about worship our way instead of his.
. We are back in Genesis this morning and we are finally out of chapter 3.
. God has held Adam and Eve accountable for their sin of disobedience and has banished them from the Garden of Eden. Instead of just taking care of the animals in the garden, man and woman must now make their own way in the world.
. This is where our story picks up.
. Genesis 4: 1-7
. 1Now Adam had sexual relations with his wife, Eve, and she became pregnant. When she gave birth to Cain, she said, “With the LORD’s help, I have produced a man!”
2Later she gave birth to his brother and named him Abel. When they grew up, Abel became a shepherd, while Cain cultivated the ground.
3When it was time for the harvest, Cain presented some of his crops as a gift to the LORD.
4Abel also brought a gift—the best of the firstborn lambs from his flock. The LORD accepted Abel and his gift,
5but he did not accept Cain and his gift. This made Cain very angry, and he looked dejected.
6“Why are you so angry?” the LORD asked Cain. “Why do you look so dejected?
7You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.”
. These passages of scripture tell us many things but this morning I want us to understand what they have to say about worship.
. In this we see Acceptable Worship.
. Look with me at verse 4 again.
. 4Abel also brought a gift—the best of the firstborn lambs from his flock. The LORD accepted Abel and his gift,
. It was time to worship, time to give thanks to God for the great harvest and growth in the flocks.
. Cain and Able understood that worship is hollow and empty without giving.
. The boys were grown men now. The story jumps from birth to adulthood for the two boys.
. I’m sure that Adam and Eve had taught their sons about God and his power and his majesty.
. I’m sure that the boys understood what worship and sacrifice was meant to be.
. The first man and woman had obviously flourished.
. Think about it, Adam and Eve had started with basically nothing. Now their sons were tending the fields and taking care of the flock of lambs.
. When Able went to worship God, he took with him the very best that he had.
. Scripture says that he took the best of the first born from the flock.
. I can picture Abel walking around and looking through the herd. Grabbing one of the lambs and looking at it and thinking no, not you. You have a defect . I can only give to God the best that I have. Then another and another until he had inspected all the first born and selected the best that he had.
. This act was acceptable to God.
. He knew that Able brought him the best that he had. He honored God by giving the best.
. Giving from the heart.
. We don’t know how many lambs were available.
. All we know is that Abel gave the best that he had.
. It wasn’t that it was a lamb or that blood was shed by this offering as many try to tech from this passage.
. It was acceptable because it was the best that able had.
.Jesus taught us about giving God our best in Mark 12:43-44
. Jesus was sitting down near the collection box at the Temple. He watched as the crowds came by and dropped in their money. Many rich people had come by and perhaps had “sounded the trumpet” when giving. A way of getting everyone’s attention as they gave their money. They were giving to bring glory to themselves not glory and honor to God.
. A poor widow came by and slipped two small coins in the collection box very quietly. Look at what Jesus has to say about this woman.
. 43Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions.
44For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.”
. The widow gave her very best, unlike the others who gave just to be giving.
. The same is true of our worship and our service to God. We are called to be like Abel or the widow.
. We are to honor God by giving our best in worship and in all we do for him.
. When we come to worship, we need to come with a joy and reverence and honor for our creator.
. When we offer our service to God, we should do it whole heartedly, without reservation.
. We as a church, as a people of God, should foster climate of giving God our best in all that we do.
. Next, we see in our scripture what Unacceptable Worship looks like.
. Look at verses 3&5 again:
. 3When it was time for the harvest, Cain presented some of his crops as a gift to the LORD.
. 5but he did not accept Cain and his gift. This made Cain very angry, and he looked dejected.
. Cain wanted to worship God his way.
. Many people get confused when they read this scripture because they don’t understand why Cain’s offering was unacceptable.
. After all, God does allow for fruit and grain offerings. It was not what Cain brought to God; it was the attitude that prevailed in the person that brought the offering.
. Look at the narrative.
. 3When it was time for the harvest, Cain presented some of his crops as a gift to the LORD.
. Cain didn’t go out and find the best fruits and vegetables that he had. He didn’t cull through the offering and say yes this is a good product from my harvest. This is suitable for the Lord.
. The connotation here is that Cain just gathered some of the harvest without bothering to see if was acceptable and presented it to the Lord.
. God looked into Cain’s heart and knew that he didn’t bring God his best.
. Cain’s attitude was that I will come and make an offering but I will do this on my terms, not yours Lord.
. The writer of Hebrews highlights this event in his great discourse on faith.
. In Hebrews 11:4 he writes.
. 4It was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain did. Abel’s offering gave evidence that he was a righteous man, and God showed his approval of his gifts. Although Abel is long dead, he still speaks to us by his example of faith.
. Cain is not the only one guilty of this particular act of disobedience.
. The prophet Amos writes about worship our way.
. It seems that many in the nation of Israel had not learned the lesson of Cain.
. They had fallen into the habit of just playing church.
. Look at Amos 5:21-24
. 21“I hate all your show and pretense— the hypocrisy of your religious festivals and solemn assemblies.
22I will not accept your burnt offerings and grain offerings.
I won’t even notice all your choice peace offerings.
23Away with your noisy hymns of praise!
I will not listen to the music of your harps.
. Amos was telling the people that they had to be genuine in their worship.
. They couldn’t just play church.
. Cain came to God with a heart that was not ready to worship.
. How do we come to worship?
. How do we do church?
. How do we serve God?
. Do we want to serve and worship on our terms or his?
. Jesus sent a message to a church in Laodicea about worshiping and serving in their own way.
. In the Revelation, Jesus sent messages to seven churches. Laodicea is the last one. Many people believe that these letters were written to churches to represent the church ages. If this is true, Jesus has his harshest words for the final church age. That’s us folks.
. Jesus chastises lukewarm Christians whose lives stand for nothing but themselves.
. They have moved away from true worship and true and honest service to God.
. Look at what He says in Revelation 3:14-17.
14“Write this letter to the angel of the church in Laodicea. This is the message from the one who is the Amen—the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s new creation:
15“I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other!
16But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!
17You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.
. What an indictment.
. I spit you out of my mouth like lukewarm coffee.
. Nothing you do is satisfying to me.
. Stop pretending He says.
. I want no more of your pretend worship.
. You must commit and worship and serve my way, with all your heart.
Finally, we see: Consequences of Unacceptable Worship
. Look at verses 5-7 again:
But he did not accept Cain and his gift. This made Cain very angry, and he looked dejected.
6“Why are you so angry?” the LORD asked Cain. “Why do you look so dejected?
7You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.”
. When we just go through the motions, if our heart is not in our worship or what we do for the Lord, He does not accept it as worship.
. God told Cain that he would get his heart right, his worship and service would be accepted.
. Then he says watch out, because this pretend stuff has consequences.
. You will be out of fellowship with me and can be ensnared in sin very easily.
. Most of us know the story of how Cain got so Jealous of Abel about this situation that he killed Abel, his brother.
. That’s what happens when we fall out of fellowship with God.
. How many of you know someone who seemed to be on fire for the Lord and slowly seemed to back away and then all of a sudden they are gripped in the midst of sin?
. That’s what happens when we try to worship and serve our way.
. God says that there is a proper way to worship and serve.
. From the heart.
. God wants our worship and service voluntarily.
. The cheerful girl with bouncy golden curls was almost five. With her mother at the checkout stand, she saw them: a circle of glistening white pearls in a pink foil box. "Oh please, Mommy. Can I have them? Please, Mommy, please!"
Quickly the mother checked the back of the little foil box and then looked back into the pleading blue eyes of her little girl’s upturned face. "A dollar ninety-five. That’s almost $2.00 If you really want them, I’ll think of some extra chores for you and in no time you can save enough money to buy them for yourself. Your birthday’s only a week away and you might get another crisp dollar bill from Grandma."
As soon as Jenny got home, she emptied her penny bank and counted out 17 pennies. After dinner, she did more than her share of chores and she went to the neighbor and asked Mrs. McJames if she could pick dandelions for ten cents. On her birthday, Grandma did give her another new dollar bill and at last she had enough money to buy the necklace.
Jenny loved her pearls. They made her feel dressed up and grown up. She wore them everywhere -- Sunday school, kindergarten, even to bed. The only time she took them off was when she went swimming or had a bubble bath. Mother said if they got wet, they might turn her neck green.
Jenny had a very loving daddy and every night when she was ready for bed, he would stop whatever he was doing and come upstairs to read her a story. One night when he finished the story, he asked Jenny, "Do you love me?"
"Oh yes, Daddy. You know that I love you."
"Then give me your pearls."
"Oh, Daddy, not my pearls. But you can have Princess -- the white horse from my collection. The one with the pink tail. Remember, Daddy? The one you gave me. She’s my favorite."
"That’s okay, Honey. Daddy loves you. Good night." And he brushed her cheek with a kiss.
About a week later, after the story time, Jenny’s daddy asked again, "Do you love me?"
"Daddy, you know I love you."
"Then give me your pearls."
"Oh Daddy, not my pearls. But you can have my baby doll. The brand new one I got for my birthday. She is so beautiful and you can have the yellow blanket that matches her sleeper."
"That’s okay. Sleep well. God bless you, little one. Daddy loves you." And as always, he brushed her cheek with a gentle kiss. A few nights later when her daddy came in, Jenny was sitting on her bed with her legs crossed Indian-style. As he came close, he noticed her chin was trembling and one silent tear rolled down her cheek. "What is it, Jenny? What’s the matter?" Jenny didn’t say anything but lifted her little hand up to her daddy. And when she opened it, there was her little pearl necklace. With a little quiver, she finally said, "Here, Daddy. It’s for you."
With tears gathering in his own eyes, Jenny’s kind daddy reached out with one hand to take the dime-store necklace, and with the other hand he reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue velvet case with a strand of genuine pearls and gave them to Jenny. He had had them all the time. He was just waiting for her to give up the dime-store stuff so he could give her genuine treasure.
. God is waiting for us to give him our best in worship and service.
. When we do that He is ready to bless us individually and as a church.
. Not with pearls but with spiritual blessings.
Invitation.
*** To my Christian brothers and sisters, thank you for taking the time to read this sermon. I ask that you take another second and score this for me. I am always open to feedback so that I can continue to grow in the proclamation of God’s word.
May God bless you as you continue to strive to walk worthy of His calling.
. Sources: The Holy Bible, NLT
Illustration from sermon central
I Did It My Way, Roger Thomas, sermon central
